What does realigning a garage door track involve?

Realigning a garage door track means getting the tracks parallel, level and firmly fixed so the rollers run freely and the door closes square to the opening. A trained technician checks the tracks and what holds them, adjusts the brackets and hangers, and tests the door by hand and on the opener. It is not a job to try yourself: the door's springs, cables and bottom brackets are under tension, and a door that falls can seriously hurt someone.

What a technician checks and adjusts

The vertical tracks. These run up each side of the opening. Clopay's installation manual leaves about 1/2" between the edge of the door and the track, and warns that forcing the track too tightly will make the door bind.^[1] It also says the tops of the vertical tracks must be level with each other.^[1] A track that has been knocked by a car, or has drifted as its screws loosened, breaks one or both of these.

The horizontal tracks. These run back along the ceiling. Clopay says the rear track hangers should hold the horizontal track level and square to the door, and that squareness is measured by comparing two diagonal distances.^[1] Track that is out of square is a common reason a door runs crooked.

The brackets, hangers and bracing. Loose brackets let the track wander. The manual says track installations must use sway braces on the rear track hangers to prevent sideways movement,^[1] and that if the tracks are not firmly stabilized they might spread, allowing the door to fall and cause severe injury and damage.^[1] It also says bolts must be installed at the rear end of horizontal tracks,^[1] which stop the rollers leaving the back of the track.

Rollers and hinges. A worn roller or a bent hinge can look like a track problem. The technician replaces what is worn and checks the door's travel.

Balance and springs. A track that is straight but a door that is not balanced still binds. CPSC says that if doors are not "balanced," or if they bind or stick, they should be serviced by a professional.^[2]

Afterwards the technician runs the door by hand and with the opener, and often tells you whether the track itself was damaged beyond adjustment. Do not lubricate the track to cover noise: LiftMaster's maintenance schedule says not to grease the door's tracks.^[3]

Why this is not a DIY job

The track looks like a simple piece of angle steel, but it guides a heavy door, and the fasteners near it are not all equal. Clopay's manual says the brackets at the bottom corners of your garage door are under great tension,^[1] and that springs, cables and bottom fixtures are under strong spring tension.^[1] It warns that if you loosen their fasteners, you could suddenly release spring forces and risk severe injury.^[1]

CPSC adds that a severely unbalanced garage door could unexpectedly crash to the floor possibly striking someone under the open door.^[2] Whoever works on the tracks has to know which fasteners are safe to touch, how to hold the door in place, and how to tell a bent track from a bad spring.

Hiring a pro in Virginia

If the track is damaged, Clopay's advice is blunt: operating the door could be hazardous,^[1] and you should call an authorized representative of the manufacturer or professional door repair service promptly.^[1] Until then, leave the door closed and do not run the opener.

When you call, describe what you see: where the door rubs, which side, whether the opener strains, and whether a roller has come out. Ask for a written quote, and for anything more than a small adjustment, DPOR's hiring guide advises you to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications.^[4] On licensing, the same guide says "If the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required".^[4] Check the licence before you pay a deposit. For what a visit may cost, read how much garage door track alignment costs in Virginia.

When to call a licensed pro

Call a licensed, trained garage door company for any track that is bent, cracked, spread, loose at the wall or out of square, and for any door that binds, rubs or leans. Call right away if the door has come off the track, a cable is slack, a spring looks stretched or broken, or the door will not stay put when stopped halfway. If the job reaches $1,000 or more, Virginia law requires a licensed contractor, so look the company up on DPOR first.^[4]

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